The Rubell Collection in Miami is the private museum of the Rubell family (couple Don and Mera Rubell along with their children Jennifer and Jason collect all of the art). The collection is housed in a large two-story building that surely rivals any institution’s museum collection. When walking through the galleries, one can’t help but think, “One family owns all of this?” And they do. The Rubells only show art they own and therefore it is quite a feat to put together a cohesive exhibit such as 30 Americans. The show is a collection of 31 African-American artists (the Rubells collect until the show’s opening which explains the extra artist) and has an important job of answering the question: Is all African-American art about racial issues? And of course it isn’t. However, racial identity is a strong pulsing theme on these walls.

The African-American artists of the establishment are represented here (Kara Walker, Carrie Mae Weems, Jean-Michel Basquiat) alongside those of newer artists (Kalup Linzy, Kehinde Wiley). Glenn Ligon’s backlit neon signs (”Negro Sunshine”, “America”) and his stenciled paintings carefully select words which have an ironic bent.

Glenn Ligon, Gold Nobody Knew Me #1, 2007, Acrylic and oil stick on canvas

Gary Simmons, Duck, Duck Noose, 1992. Wood, cloth, metal, and hemp.

Upstairs Gary Simmons‘ “Duck, Duck, Noose” has a circle of stools crowned with stiff white peaks on each seat, surrounding a noose hanging from the ceiling in a mock lynching. It is at once immediately alarming yet somehow simultaneously a quiet scene depicting the most frightening of stories of Southern history.

Moving into the contemporary world of advertising (and contemporary art’s culture of commenting on advertising), Hank Willis Thomas‘ “ads” are real advertisements which span 30 years with only the logos removed. A comment on marketing to certain groups and perceptions of race, the ads sell everything from cigarettes to hair products to cars to an African-American audience.

The exhibtion statement concludes: “As the show evolved, we decided to call it “30 Americans.” “Americans,” rather than “African Americans” or “Black Americans” because nationality is a statement of fact, while racial identity is a question each artist answers in his or her own way, or not at all.”

Kama Mama, Kama Binti (Like Mother, Like Daughter) 1971/2008, 2008 Digital C-print

30 Americans

Art Review’s coverage of 30 Americans

Tags: 30 Americans, Carrie Mae Weems, Gary Simmons, Glenn Ligon, Hank Willis Thomas, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kalup Linzy, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, Miami, Rubell Collection.